Operating mechanism for mine doors



C. E. CARTER. y OPERATINGMECHANISM FOR MINE DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21.1921- f m 1. nw. -,JW.. ...MNM ...wd JM n .I 4f Zn hullrllll.. /f Mw nu Q. \-|\w N J m 3 S J J e m a V 5 v s 5 i .j JMOm m d om i Q s c .MN i s. W/ i NM1 c. E. CAHIER. OPERATINGIVIECHANISIVI FOR IVIINE DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2I. 1921.

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@FENCE CHARLES E, CAR-TER, OF GILL-ESFIE, ILLINOIS.

OPER'IING MECHANISll/L FOR MINT. DOORS.

Largest.

Application filed April 21, 1921.

To all whomz't may conce-m Be it known that I, CHARLEs E. CARTER, acitizen of the United States of America, a resident of Gillespie, in thecounty of Macoupin, State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Operating Mechanisms for Mine Doors, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and eX- act description, reference `beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in operating mechanisms for minedoors, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple andinexpensive door operating device which is automatically actuated by acar or tram as it moves along the track upon which it is mounted.A

Another object is to provide a mine door which will open in a direct-ionaway from the approaching` car or tram regardless of which directionsaid car or tram is traveling.

Still another object is to provide a mine door which, because it iscapable of swinging in either direction, will not be shattered by theforce of an explosion within the mine but will be swung on its hingethereby.

One of the most important branches of coal mining is the management ofthe ventilation, involving as it does the supply of air to the menworking in the pit, as well as the removal of the inflammable gases thatmay be given olf by the coal. This is effected by carrying' through theworkings a large volume of air which is kept continually moving in thesame direction, descending from the surface by a pit known as as intakeor downcast pit, and leaving the mine by a return or upcast pit.

In laying out the mine it is customary to drive the levels or roads inpairs, communication being made between them at intervals by cuttingthrough the intermediate pillar. The air then passes along one road andreturns by the other. As the roads advance other pillars are driventhrough in the same i manner, the passage first made being closed bydoors whereby the air is preventedfrom takin(T a short cut back to the u)cast while e l l preserving free access between the different districtswithout following the whole round of the air-ways.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une f3, i922,

Serial No. 463,241.

land illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown thepreferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understoodthat the invention comprehends changes, variations and modificationswhich come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. I is a horizontal section through a level or road showing myimproved door operating mechanism in place therein.

Fig. II is a longitudinal section on line II-II of Fig. I.

Fig. III is a transverse section through a level or road showing myimproved door operating mechanismin place therein.

Fig. IV is a section on line IV-IV of Fig. III.

Fig. V is a fragmentary section showing means for returning themechanism to its normal position after its release.

In the drawings, A indicates a level or road of a mine, which isprovided with the usual track B comprising rails C and ties D.

Supported in said level or road A is a door frame l, which is composedof timbers secured in any suitable manner to the side walls and ceilingof said level or road.

Hingedly supported within said door frame l is a pair of doors 2, eachof which is secured to a vertical supporting shaft 3, said shaft beingmounted in suitable bearings 4f, one of which is fixed to the ceilingtimber of the door frame 1, and the other to a concrete base 5 imbeddedin the floor of the level or road A.

Located on the track B at points distant from the doors 2 are bearings6, said bearings being secured in place by being fixed to convenientties D. Mounted in each of said bearings is a short shaft 7 whichsupports at `its end adjacent the rail C an arm 8. Each of the arms 8extend upwardly above the rails C and occupy a position in the path ofthe wheels of a trani mounted thereon.

It will be noted by referring to Fig. I of the drawing that each rail Cof the track B is provided with a ypair of the arms l8, one of said armsbeing located adjacent said rail at a point distant from the doors 2.Bars 9 extending longitudinally of said rails have their opposite endspivotally connected to said arms 8, whereby each pair of said arms 8adjacent a rail C are operated simultaneously.

Secured to each of the short shafts 7 at its outer end a downwardlyextending arm 10, the purpose of which will. be hereinafter stated.

Rotatably mounted in suitable bearings,

fixed to a tie D, and extending transversely of the track B is a shaft11, which is provided at each of its ends with a bevel gear 12, saidbevel gear 12 being adapted to mesh with a be'velgear 13 mounted on theshaft 3, whereby arotary movementof the shaft 11 will impart a likemovement to the shaft 3. Fixed to the shaft 11 and extending downwardlytherefrom is a pair of arms 14, one of which is located on said shaft 11at a point adjacent each bevel gear 12. Links 15 pivotally connect thearms 14 to their associated arms 10, whereby a movement of the bar 9will be transmitted to the shaft 11 and from the shaft 11y through thebevel gears 12 and 18 to the doors 2. 1n the operation of my improveddoor opening device the front wheels of a car or tram which is mountedon the track B, and which is approaching a pair of doors 2, will contactwith arms 8 and then travel over the bars 9. This is made possiblebecause said bars 9 are arranged close to the rails C and because thecar wheels are sufficiently wide to contact with said bars 9. The arms8, being capable of oscilla tion, will permit the bars 9 to movelongitudinally and downwardly of the rails C under the pressure of saidcar wheels until they have reached a point where their top faces areflush with the top of the ball of the rails.

Because the arms 10 are secured to the short shafts 7 to which the arms8 are secured and which short shafts 7 are rocked when the bar 9 isdepressed, said arms 10 i will likewise be oscillated, which oscillationwill be transmitted through the link 15 and varm 14 to the shaft 11, andthrough the bevel gears 12 and 18 to the door supporting shafts 3. 1t isapparent from the drawing that the doors willl remain in their openpositions as long as the car wheels retain the bars 9 in their depressedpositions.

To return the door operating mechanism vto its normal position after thecar wheels have moved from the bars 9, 1 provide a weight 16 which ismounted on the shaft 11 and hangs in a vertical line therefrom. As saidshaft 11 is rocked in either direction, said weight will be carriedupwardly in an are of a circle, and when the pressure is removed fromthe bars 9, said weight will by gravityswing back to its position ofrest and thereby return the operating mechanism to its normal position.

Depressione 9 are formed in the bars 9 to allow clearance for the doors2 to swing when operated.

To prevent the passage of air through the space between the bottom ofthe doors and the surface of the road, I provide each of said doors witha section of canvas or similar material 17, which is attached to saiddoors and depends therefrom whereby said opening is closed and the airprevented from passing therethrough.

Although the doors are operated automatically, it will be observed thatthey can also be pushed open bya person walkin# through the doorway, andwhen release they will return to their closed positions.

1 claim:

1. An automatically operated mine door comprising a door secured to avertically supported shaft and adapted to extend across a track, and caroperated means cooperating with said door comprising pivoted arms, theupper ends of which are adapted to extend above said track and into thepath of a car on the track, a bar extending longitudinally of said trackand pivotally connected to said upper ends of the pivoted arms atitsends, a rockable shaft, an arm secured to said rockable shaft, links connecting said arm on the rockable shaft to said pivoted arms, a bevelgear. mounted on said rockable shaft, a second bevel gear mounted on thevertical door supporting shaft adapted to mesh with said first mentionedbevel gear, whereby the engagement of one of said pivoted arms by a carmoving in either direction will actuate said car operated means to openthe door in a direction away from said car and retain it in suchposition while such engagement continues, and means whereby said caroperated y of a car on the track, bars extending longi-4 tudinally ofsaid track, one of which is arranged adjacent each rail thereof, saidbars being pivotally attached at their ends to said upper ends of thepivoted arms, a rockable shaft, arms secured to said rockable shaft,links connecting each of said arms on the rockable shaft to itsassociated pivoted arm, bevel gears mounted on said rockable shaft atthe ends thereof, bevel gears mounted on the Vertical door supportingshafts, each ofvwhioh mesh with one of the first mentioned bevel gears,whereby the engagement of one of said pivoted arms by a ear moving ineither direction will aetuate said car operated means to open the doorsin a direction away from said car and retain it in such position sez andsaid oar operated means are disengaged.'

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto aiix my signature.

CHARLES E. CARTER.

